Process for the manufacture of horny substances from casein.



A. BARTELS.

PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HORNY SUBSTANCES FROM CASEIN.

* APPLICATION FILED DEC-28. 1915.

gg 1 5g Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

- process.

rare.

. I a US BARTELS, OF HABB EBG-ON-THE-ELB E, GERMANY.

Specification of Letters Eatent. v

Application filed December 28, 1915. Serial No. 69,105.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Dr. AMANDUs BAR- TELS, a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Buxtehuderstrasse 102, Harburgon-the-Elbe, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for the Manufacture of Horny Substances from Casein, of which the following is a specification.

It is already known to'produce horn-like masses by kneading powdered casein, together with as little water as possible, and with the simultaneous application of pressure and heat, into a perfectly homogeneous mass which may be pressed into plates, bars, and objects of different shapes.

The object of the present invention is a modification of this process, which differs from the known processes in that ground casein of granular and hard consistency is employed, which only with great difliculty becomes plastic. The manner of operation consists in that the granular and slightly moistened casein is first subjected to high pressure and only then kneaded while heat and pressure are simultaneously applied.

It has been shown that the freedom of the hornlike material from blisters is most easily attained in the manner described below; The air which is imprisoned within the granular mass is expelled so completely before the softening and lmeading thereof, that either no air whatever remains in the mass, or else there is so little that, in view of the high pressure employed, blisters'do not form.

The process according to this invention consequently consists in that firstly the granular material'which should be as hard as possible, is subjected to high pressure and then kneaded under the simultaneous application of high pressure, for example about 100 atmospheres, and while being heated.

The exceptional hardness is of technical importance, because thereby the resistance of the mass when being kneaded is increased. In order to increase the hardness of the casein, hardening materials may be added during the kneading process but this is not necessary for the carrying out of the The hardness of the casein which may be increased as stated by means of hardening agents, is however of great importance for a further particular modification of the improved process. Namely, the process can be carried into effect continuously by the use of a strong-walled cylindrical pressing and kneading machine. One

Patented Jan. a, 191W.

or more suitably resistant disks or sieves are arranged in the front part of the strongwalled cylinder. The casein is first compressed in the rear part of the cylinder until a very high pressure has been reached. The imprisoned air that is expelled by the compression of the casein can escape to the rear through the channel that supplies the very slightly moistened casein. The completely compressedcasein then passes on .into the forward portion of the cylinder, where it is caught and treated bythe kneading tools with the simultaneous application of heat. This heat is supplied by a heating apparatus provided in that portion of the cylinder.

The kneading tools are such that, whether they are of the vane type or the helical or screw type, they serve to push them asfor- Ward to the obstacles. The kneaded mass then passes through the obstacles into the foremost portion of the cylinder which is fitted with a nozzle. The pressure exerted upon the mass situated in the front portion, that is to say, before the obstacles are sufficient to force the kneaded hot mass (that is still plastic under the pressure) out of the press. Slightly moistened hard casein is being continually fed in through the su ply channel, and, at the same rate as the eed, the finished mass is pressed out past the obstacles, so that the process is rendered continuous for the manufacture of the elastic horn-like mass from the casein.

The drawing shows the apparatus in longitudinal section. The screw spindle b is moved in the direction of the arrow in the cylinder a. Commercial casein which contains in all about 20 to 50 per cent of water, and has been previously mixed with the added coloring matters and filling substances such as hexamethylenetetramin and glycerin, is pressed forward automatically from the charging hopper c by the motion of the spindle, and is compressed. The casein remains granular at first owing to the action of the cooling medium flowing in forated disks or sieves f, P, arranged in the extension 9 of the cylinder. These perforated disks or sieves serve as devices for kneading the string of mass, and efiecting a most intimate mixing of the coloring matters and other admixtures with the casein and a perfectly homogeneous condition of the mass. The mass then passes out from the outlet h in a homogeneous horn-like condition. a

For the pur gse of producing the desired suflicient high 'ressure, two perforated disks or sieves f, f are interposed which serve also as kneadin devices. In some cases only one of such dis will be sufiicient. V

I claim:

1. An improved process of making elastic horn-like substances from slightly moistened casein, Which comprises sub ecting slightly moistened casein of granular and hard consistency, in an inclosed space, to a high pressure while kneading the mass, and thereafter subjecting the same simultaneously to the action of heat and high pressure. 1

2. An improved process'for the manufaci ture of elastic hornysubstances from slightly 20 to 42 parts of water in 100 parts of the powdered mixture of casein-and water), so that the moistened casein while still having a dry feel under ordinary pressing is, by simultaneously employing a pressure of about 100 atmospheres and heating, kneaded to a completely uniform paste.

4. An improved process for the manufacl ture of horny bodies from casein consisting in moistening dried and ground casein with only a little quantity of water, adding a hardening agent, and kneading the mass to a completely uniform paste by simultaneously subjecting the mass during the mixing and kneading undera pressure of about 100 atmospheres, with the simultaneous application of heat then formin the mass, while hot, and undersubstantia y the same high pressure;

5. An improved process for the manufacture of horny'bodies 'from casein consisting in moistening dried and ground casein with only a'little quantity of water, adding an aqueous solution of hexamethylenetetramin and glycerin, kneading the mass to acompletely uniform paste by simultaneously subjecting the mass during the mixingv and kneading under a pressure of about 100 atmospheres, then forming the mass while hot and under substantially the same high pres- 7 sure.

-material to the cold casein, then subjecting the slightly moistened casein of a granular and hard consistency, first to a kneading action While" under high pressure, and then 6. A process of making an elastic horn.-

subjecting the same simultaneously to the I action of heat and high pressure.

7. An improved process of subjected to a high pressure within an in-' closureyand then forced farther into the inclosure and simultaneously heated and kneaded, and subsequently further kneaded while it is under pressure. a

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 5

DR. AMANDUS BARTELS.

Witnesses: I

FRANCIS R. STEWART, LoUIs F. DILGER.

- making an elastic horn-like body, wherein the casein is 

